Oliver.

"It is a crack," said Ailwin, "in the wall or somewhere. I heard just
such a one while Mildred was gone out to play, after dinner."

"And there was another while you were away," said Mildred. "Some
plaster fell that time:--look here! In this corner.--What is the
matter, Oliver? What makes you look so frightened? What does it mean?"

"It means, I am afraid, that more of the house is coming down. Look at
this great zigzag crack in the wall!--and how loose the plaster hangs in
that part of the ceiling! I really think,--I am quite sure, we ought
not to stay here any longer."

"But where can we go? What shall we do?"

"We must think about that, and lose no time. I think this room will
fall very soon."

Mildred could not help crying, and saying that they could not settle
themselves, and rest at all. She never saw anything like it. They were
all so tired they did not know what to do; and now they should have to
work as hard as ever. She never saw anything like it.

"No, dear, never," said her brother: "and thousands of people, far older
than you, never saw anything like this flood. But you know, Mildred, we
must not die, if we can help it."

This reminded Mildred who it was that set them these heavy tasks,--that
bade them thus labour to preserve the lives He gave. She was silent
Oliver went on--

"If ever we meet father and mother again, we shall not mind our having
been ever so much tired now. We shall like telling them all our plans
and doings, if it should please God that we should ever sit with them by
the fire-side."

"Or whenever we meet them in heaven, if they should not be alive now,"
said Mildred.

"Yes, dear; but we will talk over all that when we get to the
Red-hill:--we must not talk any more now, but set to work. However, I
really think, Mildred, that father and mother are still alive somewhere.
I feel as if they were."

"But the Red-hill," said Mildred, "what do you mean about the Red-hill?
We are not going there, where Roger is,--are we?"

"We must, dear. There is no other place. Roger is very unkind: but
floods and falling houses are unkinder still. Come, Ailwin, help me
with the raft. We must carry away what we can before dark. There will
be no house standing to-morrow morning, I am afraid."

"Sleep on the ground!" exclaimed Ailwin. "Without a roof to cover us!
My poor grandfather little thought I should ever come to that."

"If you will move the beds, you nee